1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is that of nursing bottles for infants.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With respect to known prior art, reference is made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 357,439; 484,811; 1,056,113; 2,514,744; 3,145,867; and Des. 249,076.
The devices of the prior art are subject to certain deficiencies and drawbacks constituting problems which have not been met and for which a solution has been needed. The prior art lacks capabilities and advantages to be identified hereinafter.
Typically, in the nursing of human infants, the nursing bottle may be held in hand of a person, such as the mother, or in fact, may be held in the hands of the infant itself. In either situation, there are disadvantages, whether the nipple at the end of the bottle is axially aligned with the axis of the bottle or whether the bottle has a neck carrying the nipple, the axis of which is inclined relative to axis of the body of the bottle.
If the infant is in a lying down position and holding the bottle itself, typically the body of the bottle has to be held in an inclined position upwardly from the infant's body in order for gravity to cause the contents of the bottle to feed to the nipple and to accommodate the position of the nipple to the infant's mouth. This is disadvantageous from the standpoint of being fatiguing for the infant or because of the inability of the infant to hold it in position.
The disadvantage just referred to is further aggravated in situations where an infant is in a sitting position, such as in a high chair, and whether the infant is holding the bottle itself or it is being held by another person. In either situation, it is difficult to hold the bottle in a proper feeding position, and it is tiring and fatiguing in either event, whether held by the infant or another person.
In either of the situations referred to, the drawback is present that the infant may take in an excessive amount of air while sucking the milk through the nipple. This can result from the position of the bottle and the level of milk in the bottle which may drop low enough so as to allow air, as well as milk, to enter through the nipple into the infant's mouth. That is, while the infant is nursing, the level in the bottle of course will drop, and then depending on the actual position of the bottle, the infant may be taking in air through the nipple, as well as milk.
It is particularly significant that when the infant is being nursed in a sitting position, such as in the lap of an adult or in a highchair, typically it is necessary that the baby's head be thrown back in order to accommodate the position of the nipple to the infant's mouth. This is a stressful position for the muscles of the infant's throat and neck and may present difficulty to the infant in swallowing.
The foregoing referred-to drawbacks and disadvantages of prior art nursing bottles have not been met in the prior art, and it is the object of the invention herein, a preferred form of which is described in detail hereinafter, to overcome the said disadvantages and drawbacks and to provide significant capabilities not previously available.